South Carolina

Research

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) have only been around since 2006, yet their potential to dramatically reduce the damaging health impacts of traditional cigarettes has garnered significant attention and credibility.

Headlines

State Budget Solutions is tracking the budget shortfalls, as reported by government agencies and governors in every state. Some of these deficits are immediate problems, while others are long term problems that need to be tackled sooner than later.

Research

State Budget Solutions' latest research reveals that state public pension plans are underfunded by $4.7 trillion, up from $4.1 trillion in 2013. Overall, the combined plans' funded status has dipped three percentage points to 36%. Split among all Americans, the unfunded liability is over $15,000 per person.

Want a more robust, long-term look at your state's fiscal health, beyond the budget? There are two parts: Click here for the FY2011 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report compiled by the state government, and click here for information on the state's pension liabilities.

South Carolina is required to pass a "balanced budget." Article 10, Section 7(a) of the 1895 Constitution requires a "budget process to insure that annual expenditures of state government may not exceed annual state revenue." In addition, Section 11-11-345 of the State law requires that if the year-end GAAP audit shows a deficit, any appropriation of surplus funds is suspended, and is used to offset the deficit. Regardless of these requirements, the State reported budget deficits (negative net transactions) on its Budgetary Comparison Schedule for the three years reviewed. South Carolina law forbids the carrying over of a deficit from one year to the next.

Governmental funds include the General Fund, several (nine plus a tenth aggregated fund) Special Revenue funds, a Capital Projects Fund, and two Permanent funds. State law does not precisely define the State's basis of budgeting. In practice, however, it is the cash basis with some exceptions that are explained in Note 4 to the Required Supplementary Information-Budgetary. As seen in the State's data sheet, budgeted and actual revenues are reasonably in sync. The same cannot be said about expenditures. The State budgets the General Fund and Other Budgeted Funds. The State's CAFR does not reveal what funds are included in "Other Budgeted Funds." [from the Institute for Truth in Accounting]

Medicaid :

RESEARCH

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) have only been around since 2006, yet their potential to dramatically reduce the damaging health impacts of traditional cigarettes has garnered significant attention and credibility.

HEADLINES

In a little-noticed outcome of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, jails and prisons around the country are beginning to sign up inmates for health insurance under the law, taking advantage of the expansion of Medicaid that allows states to extend coverage to single and childless adults — a major part of the prison population.

Higher Education :

HEADLINES

According to NASBO, Kentucky and many other states have put the emphasis on restoring funding to education this year. A still incomplete survey of states showed that the vast majority are increasing elementary and secondary education funding, along with transportation and infrastructure.

HEADLINES

There is disagreement within education circles over whether spending more money per pupil leads to better results. But there is no disagreement that the amount of money states spend on education has erupted in recent years.

Courts & Corrections :

HEADLINES

In a little-noticed outcome of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, jails and prisons around the country are beginning to sign up inmates for health insurance under the law, taking advantage of the expansion of Medicaid that allows states to extend coverage to single and childless adults — a major part of the prison population.

Solutions

State Budget Solutions recommends that state legislators take action in 2013 to resolve the serious state financial crises by changing their focus from inputs to outcomes by redesigning budgets from the ground up based on priorities and performance.

Solutions

Supporters of Obamacare claim that expanding Medicaid will entail little to no cost to state governments, since the federal government will fund the vast majority of the additional costs. Indeed, some analyses project states achieving savings from adopting the expansion. However, state lawmakers should be wary of accepting such analyses at face value.

State Budget Solutions' latest research reveals that state public pension plans are underfunded by $4.7 trillion, up from $4.1 trillion in 2013. Overall, the combined plans' funded status has dipped three percentage points to 36%. Split among all Americans, the unfunded liability is over $15,000 per person.

Former Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch, who helped New York City escape bankruptcy 40 years ago, warned Wednesday that the fiscal crisis isn't over in New York and other states, despite election year plans to cut taxes and spend more.

BLOG: Federal Government Impact, Medicaid

One look at the upcoming cases before the Supreme Court and the federal courts of appeal would suggest that states and the national government have a destructively adversarial relationship. Should we be worried about this constant conflict?

Putting aside the merits or shortcomings of the Common Core, accepting national standards over which states have no control weakens the role that local officials have traditionally had in K-12 education.

Research

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) have only been around since 2006, yet their potential to dramatically reduce the damaging health impacts of traditional cigarettes has garnered significant attention and credibility.

RESEARCH

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) have only been around since 2006, yet their potential to dramatically reduce the damaging health impacts of traditional cigarettes has garnered significant attention and credibility.

Headlines

State Budget Solutions is tracking the budget shortfalls, as reported by government agencies and governors in every state. Some of these deficits are immediate problems, while others are long term problems that need to be tackled sooner than later.

Research

State Budget Solutions' latest research reveals that state public pension plans are underfunded by $4.7 trillion, up from $4.1 trillion in 2013. Overall, the combined plans' funded status has dipped three percentage points to 36%. Split among all Americans, the unfunded liability is over $15,000 per person.

State Budget Solutions' latest research reveals that state public pension plans are underfunded by $4.7 trillion, up from $4.1 trillion in 2013. Overall, the combined plans' funded status has dipped three percentage points to 36%. Split among all Americans, the unfunded liability is over $15,000 per person.

Research

There seems to be an endless amount of controversy surrounding the Common Core. Vocal supporters and critics are not hard to find. This report suggests that there is another point of contention to consider: the costs of the technology upgrades required to implement Common Core.

State employees will get a 2 percent pay raise, 4-year-old kindergarten will expand and local governments will get more state money as part of a $7 billion budget deal that the S.C. House and state Senate passed Wednesday.